Course Overview: https://youtu.be/g-pt2Q4UhT4
The global environment will continue to degrade until there are significant changes in business practices. In this course, we look at how some firms are responding positively to environmental concerns with new strategies.
We look at 'best practices' of companies across countries and industries from different perspectives. We introduce a very helpful framework to structure your thinking about environment and business strategy. We explore why current destructive business practices are so 'sticky' and resistant to change.
You don’t have to be an environmentalist or a tree-hugger to benefit from this course.
Businesses should respond to change, environment is one of these changes. If you have an interest in the environment and some understanding of business strategy then this course should be useful to you.

Рецензии

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarHalf Faded Star

4.3 (оценок: 15)

5 stars

9 ratings

4 stars

4 ratings

3 stars

1 ratings

1 star

1 ratings

Из урока

Why Be “Green”?

In this module we look at the problem of business and environment through various lenses. What does it mean for a firm to be “green”? Why would a firm decide to go green? Why is a social license to operate important for green business?

Преподаватели

Paul Forster

Associate Professor of Business Education

Текст видео

In this video I’d like to talk to you about our perspective of the relationship between business and the environment. This is important because how we see things shapes what we choose to do. We live on a very special and precious planet. I like to look at pictures of the earth from space because it reminds me that all our lives, businesses, everything important to us, takes place in this thin envelope that surrounds the planet. Did you know it’s only 11km or about 7 miles from the surface of the ocean to the very deepest part of the ocean floor? At 60kmph or 40 mph that’s only about an 11min drive straight down from sea level. That would take you to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. As of 2017 only three people have ever been to the bottom of the trench and very little is known about the strange life forms at the bottom of the ocean. Interestingly, the entire surface of Mars has been mapped at a resolution of 20m. That means we could see a car on Mars. While the ocean floor here on earth has been mapped at a resolution of 5,000m and only about 1% at a detailed resolution. Which means we wouldn’t see a enormous stadium on the ocean floor. We know more about the surface of Mars than we do the deep ocean on our own planet. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? The troposphere, is the lowest part of our atmosphere averaging about 17km deep. About a relaxing 4 hour walk to the top if you could walk vertically. It contains about 80% of the atmosphere’s mass and 99% of the water vapor. Planes fly about at an altitude of 12km inside the troposphere. 17km up and 11km down. All our business operations between these two small limits. Almost all environmental harm is the product of some business activity. This is includes finding and extracting the resources used to make goods, the production of goods, moving goods, the act of using or consuming products, and the waste that comes after we’re done with the products. The degree to which business is, or should be, responsible for the environment on the planet is something that is hotly debated. In this course we do not go far into the discussion of the details of the harm that is done by businesses. But I would be naive if I didn’t acknowledge that there are a range of views on this subject. This is very important because the differences of opinion influence how we approach change and the degree of change that is possible. There are some who question whether there is really that much harm from the business activities, and whether of the harm we see from events such as climate change are from uncontrollable changes in natural systems. If that’s the case they might feel that there’s not much businesses can or should do. Some might argue that it is hard to know whether the environmental changes we see are going to be good or bad for the planet or for humans. So the planet is warming, couldn’t that be a good thing? Or perhaps they might prioritize humans over all other species. They might feel that change is inevitable so we should make the most of it. Others might acknowledge the harm and feel that it is those that caused the harm to begin with that need to make and pay for repairing the situation. That the change has to come from the developed economies and the developing economies have the right to follow their own development paths. And, finally, others believe we are living in the age of the anthropocene where human activity is the dominant influence on climate and the environment on Earth. Therefore humans have a responsibility to care for our planetary environment. And there are many more perspectives out there. It would be naive to think that business people will change their environmental practices because it is the “right thing to do”. And it would also be naive to ask businesses to give up profitability for the sake of the environment. So can we find ways to make environment profitable? The answer is yes, but it depends. Knowing our own assumptions helps us to talk to those who don’t see things the same way we do. If you are going to work in green business you’re going to most likely face a lot of people who don’t think the same way you do. You can use your understanding of your own perspective to skillfully craft arguments and messages that can build alignment of interests rather than breeding unproductive conflict. Maybe they don’t buy that reducing environmental harm is the firm’s responsibility, but they are interested in profitability. Maybe they are interested in reducing harm, but don’t understand how to craft a strategy would be most useful to their firm in their particular situation. This course will introduce you to a set of strategic lenses through which you can understand the complex issues between business and the environment. We hope that this will generate ideas that might apply wherever you are and you can use them to make a environment-positive change to business activities where you live.